Stop mechanism for talking-machines



P. CATUCCI AND A. VASSELLI. STOP MECHANISM FOR TALKING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED AUG-3, 1918.

1,350,783 1. Patented A110: 24, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IPLINY CATUCCI AND ANTHONY VASSELLI, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO HARRIMAN NATIONAL BANK OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK, TRUSTEE.

STOP MECHANISM FOR TALKING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Au 24, 1920.

Original application filed April 8, 1915, Serial No. 20,050. Patent No. 1,277,545. Divided and this application filed August 3, 1918. Serial No. 248,203.

To all whom 2'15 may concern:

Be it known that we, PLINY CATUCCI and ANTHONY VAssnLLI, citizens of the United States, and residents of the city of Newark, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful. Stop Mechanism for 'lalking-l /lachines, of which the following is a specification. Y

Our invention relates to mechanism for automatically stopping the turn-table and motor of a talking machine when the stylus reaches the end of the record groove, and for automatically starting the motor. The invention relates to means for automatically starting and stopping the motor and the turn-table, and is adivision of an application for patent filed April 8, 1915, Serial No. 20,050, latent No. 1,277,545.

The object of our invention is to provide means, whereby the motor spring will provide power to actuate the stop mechanism.

A further object is to provide a device which may be afiixcd to the cabinet of a talking machine, in position for engagement,

with the turn -table mandrel during the playing of a record.

One of the objects of our invention is to provide a release mechanism capable of automatically starting the rotation of the motor and the turn-table, and to provide a stop mechanism, operating automatically to arrest the movement of the motor and turntable.

Anothe object of our invention is to provide means opera table in conjunction with the turn-table spindle for automatically starting and stopping the motor and turntable.

A further object of our invention is the provision of means for automatically starting and stopping the motor and the turntable, of the character described, simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and efficient in its purpose, inexpensive and economical to manufacture, and which can be easily applied to existing talking machines now on the market.

With these and other objects in view to be more fully set forth hereinafter, the inven tion consists in the novel construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings considered together or separately.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions, one of which for the purpose of illustrating the invention, is shown in the accompanying drawings.

The invention will be first described in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating one embodiment of our invention, wherein similar reference characters are used to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and then more specifically defined and indicated in the appended claims.

The device is self containing and is designed to be detachably connected to the upper exposed end of the record driving mandrel in such a manner that the rotation of the mandrel or turn-table will set a fric. tion brake within the device, which will act directly upon the driving mandrel to stop its rotation. The rotation of the mandrel itself, in each case, serves to set a brake upon some rotating part of the motor.

The travel of the stylus needle across the face of the record determines the point at which the motor is to be stopped, and for this purpose we provide an adjustable index arm, the point of which may be located at the inner ring of the record groove before starting the motor; after the motor is started this index will rotate with the tablet support or turn-table, and when the stylus needle has traversed the face of the record,

the point of the index, coming in contact.

with the stylus needle, or with some depending part of the sound box, will arrest the rotation of the index arm, while the con tinued rotation of the mandrel will operate the mechanism to set the brake.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the form of our invention as applied to a. talking with the form of our invention, covered by the application.

In carrying'out our invention, we provide mechanism which is permanently secured to the top of the case in position for the stop mechanismto extend over and to be applied to the upper end of the mandrel or driving spindle of the motor which carries the tablet support. A standard 44 is secured to a base 45 in such a manner as to permit the standard to rotate upon a vertical axis. The means by which this is accomplished are as follows: The base 45 is dished upwardly, as shown in Fig. 5, and centrally apertured as at 46 to receive a cylindrical boss 47, upon the lower end of the standard 44. The lower end of the standard is apertured and screw-threaded to receive a bolt 48; surrounding the bolt is a washer 49, and a spring member 50, the latter being dished downwardly so that when a bolt 48 is screwed in, it places the spring member under compression and thereby offers considerable resistance to the rotation of the standard 44. The upper end of the standard is slotted as at 51 to receive the slotted end of a swinging arm 52. A pin 53 passes through a slot 54 in the arm 52, so that the arm may have a considerable longitudinal movement in the direction of its length, or it may swing in a vertical plane, or it may swing in a horizoiital'plane about the axis of the standard 44, as a center. In order to conveniently carry the stop mechanism at its free end, the arm 52 is twisted as at 55, so that the flat free end thereof lies in a plane at right angles to the slotted end. The

extreme outer end of the arm 52 is apertured as at 56 to receive the parts of the stop mechanism. The latter consists of the following parts: a tubular flanged thimble 57 is seated in an aperture 56 in the free extremity of the arm 52. Beneath the upper flange 58 of this thimble, and between such flange and the arm 52, is located a washer 59, said washer being provided at one side with an upstanding post or projection 60. Just beneath the arm 52 and surrounding the thimble 57 is a cup-shaped spring cap 61; just below said spring cap is a collar 62 held in place against a shoulder on the outer side of the thimble 57 by spinning over and riveting down, as at 63, the lower end of the thimble 57. Within the spring cap 61, and bearing between said cap and the collar 62, isa coiled spring 64, which is under a considerable compression.

From the structure thus described, it will be seen that the thimble 57 may rotate within the aperture 56, but such rotation meets with a considerable resistance due to the bearing of the flat upper side of the spring cap 61, with the pressure of the spring 64 behind it, and the washer 59 bearing against the flange 58. These parts are pressed together with a considerable force by the 57 takes place with considerable effort.

Within the central aperture of the thimble 57 is a tubular shaft 65, flanged at its upper end as at 66, and provided with a retaining collar 67, which is held in place against a shoulder 68, by turning over a portion of the metal as at 69 against the lower side of the collar 67; thus the tubular shaft. is secured within the central aperture of the thimble 57. The lower end of the shaft 65 is reduced in diameter and carries upon its outside a flanged tubular thimble 70. Located beneath the upper flange of this sleeve is a cap 71. Upon the lower end of the thimble 7 O is secured an index arm 72 which is similar in all respects to the index arm of the form of our invention embodied in the original application hereinbefore mentioned; this arm is held in place by means of a retaining collar 73, which bears against a shoulder and is held in place by spinning over or riveting down the lower end of the thimble 70. Between the upper face of the index arm 72 and the cap 71, is located a coiled spring 74, under a considerable compression, so that the rotation of the index arm 72 around the thimble meets with considerable' resistance due to the spring pressure. The thimble 70 is held upon the lower end of the tubular shaft 65by means of a collar 70, which latter is held against a shoulder formed upon the lower end of the tubular shaft 65, by turning over and riveting down the reduced portion of said tubular shaft. The thimble 70 is provided with a vertical slot 70 in its side. Within the tubular shaft is located a central shaft 75, provided atits upper end with a knurled hand piece 76, and having rigidly secured thereto a laterally projecting arm 77 in position to engage the upstanding post 60 heretofore referred to, under certain conditions of operation. The tubular sleeve 65 is provided with a circumferential cam slot 78, which extends spirally around said sleeve for about one-half of its circumference. Projecting into said slot from the lower end of the shaft, and into the slot 70 of the thimble 70, is a pin 79, It will be seen, now, that the independent rotation of the shaft '75, relative to the tubular sleeve 65 will cause a longitudinal movement of said shaft with respect to said sleeve, and such longitudinal movement is sufficient to carry the laterally projecting arm 77 above the upper end of the upstanding post 60. The lower end of thetubular shaft 65 is provided with a cross pin 80 designed to enter a cross slot 92 in the upper end 81 of the talking machine mandrel. v

The index arm 72, and the index 82, together with the thumb piece 83, are in all respects the same as'the corresponding parts 34, 36 and 37 hitherto described, in connection with the application above referred to. As above indicated, the index 82 is pivoted to the free end of the index arm 72, so that the point of the index may swing around in a circle and be adjusted to various positions relative to the center of rotation of the index arm. In order, however, to provide some resistance to the free rotation of the index, the thumb piece 83 is constructed as illus trated in Fig. l. The central stem 84 is provided with a shoulder 85 at its lower end, and a reduced portion 86 which passes through a corresponding aperture in the index 82, and is riveted down upon the under side. The thumb piece 83 is provided with a recess as 87, within which is located a coiled spring 88, which is under considerable compression when the parts are assembled, and bears upon the upper face of the index arm 72; this connection serves to afford considerable resistance to the free rotation of the index 82 around the stem. The index 82 is provided with an upward projection 82 for engagement with the side of the index arm 72 when the index is in substantial alinement with said arm.

From the above description it will be seen that when the central shaft 75 is in its uppermost position, the arm 77 will stand above the upstanding projection or post 60,

and the pin 79 will stand in the uppermost part of the spiral slot 78 and in the uppermost part of the slot 7 0". In this position the central shaft 75, and the tubular shaft are free to rotate clock-wise with the upper end of the mandrel 81; but when the point of the index 82 contacts with the stylus 48 of the sound box, the rotation of the index arm 72 will be arrested, while the tubular shaft 65 will continue to rotate with the mandrel 81. This continued rotation of the tubular shaft (55, independent of the shaft 75, will result in giving the shaft a vertical. downward motion in consequence of the location of the pin 79 in the vertical slot 70", and in the spi alslot 78, so as to bring the arm 77 in position to contact with the upstanding post or projection 60. The continued rotation of the mandrel 81 will now be retarded by the frictional engagement of the washer 59, and the spring cap 61 against the upper and lower sides of the arm 52. The frictional engagement of the index arm 72 with the spring 74 and the washer 73, also adds to the retardation of the tubular shaft 65, inasmuch as .such tubular shaft must continue to revolve with the mandrel 81, and since the cross pin 79 comes in contact with the end of the slot 78, this rotation of the tubular shaft 65 will carry with it the thimble 70, but it will be remembered that the arm 72 has been arrested by the contact of the index 82 with the stylus needle. The combined friction of the elements just described will result in effectually stopping the rotation of the mandrel 81.

hen it is desired to replace the record with another record, it is only necessary to swing the arm 52 upwardly freeing the same from the mandrel 81, when, of course, the record 9-lmay be removed and another one put in its place; the arm 52 may then be restored to the position shown in Fig. 1 with the cross pin replaced in the upper end of the mandrel 81.

In Fig. 6, we have shown a block of wood or metal 89 provided with a central aperture 90, running from top to bottom thereof, and with a longitudinal slot 91 in the top of said block. The central aperture of a diameter sufficient to admit the insertion of the upper end of the mandrel 81 of the talking machine. A file or suitable cutting device may then be inserted into the slot 9i, of the block 89, and a corresponding slot 92 cut in the upper end of the mandrel 81 so that it may receive the cross pin 80 of the stop device, when the same is placed in position. In this manner when the mandrel 31. rotates, it will be readily seen that it will carry with it the tubular shaft (35 and the remaining parts of the device directly connected therewith.

In Fig. l, we have shown the device applied to the upper part of a talkin machine with the arm 52 extending over the turntable 93 and secured to the upper end of the mandrel 81. We have not deemed it necessary to show the position of the sound box vertical position so that the record tablet 9%]:

may be located upon the tablet support or turn-table 93, after which the arm 52 is lowered to the position shown in Fig. 4t, with the upper end of the mandrel 81 inserted into the tubular shaft 65, and the cross pin 80 inserted in the slot 92 of the upper end ofthe mandrel. hand piece 76 turning the same clock-wise; this causes the pin 79 to traverse the spiral slot 7 8 and thus elevate the central shaft 7 5, so that the arm 77 is elevated above the upper end of the upstanding post or projection 60. The point of the index 82 may then be adjusted to the inner ring of the record and the motor started. the index 82 will now rotate with the record until such time as the needle of the sound box reaches the inner ring of the record groove when the rotation of the index 82 and arm 72 will be arrested, but inasmuch as the cross pin 80 is located in the slot 92, at the upper end of the mandrel 81, such mandrel continues to rotate the tubular shaft 65 until the operation just described takes place and the motor is stopped.

The index arm 72 and The operator grasps the It might be thought that the contact of the point of the index 36, with the stylus needle 43, would injure such stylus needle; this is a matter of minor importance for it is the custom to discharge such needle upon the completion of the playing of a record and its injury need not be considered. In case, however, the stylus is a jewel, as diamond or sapphire the contact of the index with such stylus might be injurious. In that case, however, the sound box itself may be provided with a downward projection 95, upon its lower side, in position to engage the point of the index 36, and thus avoid any contact whatsoever of the index with the stylus.

It will thus be seen that by the structure, we are able to accomplish the automatic stopping of the motor upon the completion of the record by mechanism which applies frictional resistance to the rotation of some part of the motor itself, and such frictional resistance is set in operation upon the completion of the record by the motor itself. In other words, the continued rotation of the motor applies its own brake at a predetermined point in its operation.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statute, we have described the principle of our invention together with the apparatus which We now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but we desire it understood that our invention is not confined to the particular form of apparatus herein shown and described, the same being merely illustrative, and that the invention can be carried out in other Ways without departing from the spirit of our invention, and, therefore, we claim broadly the right to employ all equivalent instrumentalities coming within the scope of the appended claims, and by means of which objects of our invention are attained, and the new results accomplished, as herein set forth, as it is obvious that the particular embodiment herein shown and described is only one of many that can be employed to attain these objects and accomplish these results.

Having now described our invention,

what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. A'stop mechanism for talking machines, having a mandrel, a motor for r0- tating the same, a pivoted arm, means carried by said arm for engaging the mandrel and rotating therewith, an index arm carried by the mandrel engaging means, brake mechanism interposed between the index armand the mandrel; means for engaging the index arm whereby the brake may be applied to arrest the movement of the man drel and motor.

2. A device of the character described, which is self contained, having means detachably connecting the same to the upper end of the record driving mandrel, a brake within the device, means operatable by the rotation of the record driving mandrel to actuate said brake and stop the rotation of the record driving mandrel.

3. A stop mechanism for talking machines, having a mandrel, a motor for rotating the same, a pivoted arm, a tubular shaft carried by the free end of the arm, said shaft adapted to engage the mandrel and rotate therewith, a thimble carried by the tubular shaft, a cross arm carried by the thimble, a spring interposed between the cross arm and the thimble, an index arm carried by the cross arm, a spindle movable longitudinally of the tubular shaft and rotatable therewith, a stop carried by the pivoted arm, a pin on the spindle, said pin engaging a spiral slot in the tubular shaft, a finger on the spindle, adapted to engage the stop whereby when the rotation of the index arm is arrested the tubular shaft and spindle will rotate relatively to each other, the spindle will by the engagement of the pin with the spiral slot move longitudinally of the tubular shaft, the finger will engage the stop on the pivoted arm, and the rotation of the tubular shaft, mandrel and motor will be arrested.

4. A device of 'the character described, comprising atalking machine having a mandrel, a motor for rotating the same, a pivoted arm, means carried by said arm for engaging the mandrel, means carried by the mandrel to engage the means carried on the arm to cause said mandrel and means to rotate together, a brake mechanism carried on the upper end of the mandrel, and means for actuating the brake mechanism to arrest the movement of the mandrel and motor.

This specification signed and witnessed this 29th day of July, 1918.

PLINY oATUccI. ANTHONY VASSELLI.

Witnesses:

A. F. MUSSELBACH, JOHN L. LOTSCH. 

